SINGLE HSC/TIPPING THREAD (Previously "Why are gratuities not included in Fares?")

[Cruizer Bill]

This subject has been kicked around on this board seemingly forever. The way I see it, the daily charges are a service fee and I faithfully pay it. Then, I almost always tip each of our cabin stewards another $20 but that is just my philosophy - I give people more than they expect.

[DaveOKC]

Good day everyone,

I just searched "gratuities" past posts as I never read them before...

Here is my problem:

On our last 28-day cruise, we paid our gratuities as "everyone else" as it is part of cruising and that $$ goes to the crew. Well, what did I find out on the second last day of our cruise from an employee at the "front desk"? 20% of the cruisers do opt out of tipping. I was :mad:. Why did my husband and I paid $700 US (we are Canadian so it means $1,000 CA) more than someone who opted out and did not receive anything else in return.

Later on, we talked to a Canadian couple about my discovery and he informed me he had opted out but gave a very generous tip to the crew who looks after my room"... I did not anything more...

 

Now I am confused. I surely don't want to "screw" the employees but I don't want to pay more than the 20% of the passengers that opt out of paying their gratuities. Why is HAL not including gratuities in their fare so EVERYONE pays the same AND the employees get their full wage. Please, don't answer "that way, the crew doesn't have to pay a portion to the agency that has found them work with HAL...". Maybe HAL should change their contract with these agencies if they care about their employees. Our Australian friends who cruises always opt out of paying gratuities as they told us it is built in their price cruise in Australia. I believed them but now I don't know if it is true.

 

Please, don't take me wrong. I just want conformity. Is it too hard to ask?

 

The Canadians!:cool:

 

You should have explained to the other passenger that giving money directly to a crew member does not work, as they MUST turn it into the "pool" or risk being fired. So the passenger accomplished nothing with his/her actions.

 

I think it is appalling that people remove the auto-tips without a good reason. HAL needs to address this - perhaps requiring a detailed explanation of why they are removing it.

 

There are several reasons why the cruise lines generally do not include tips in their fare. The details are more than I know, so I will avoid this issue.

[JVilleGal]

Just pay your Gratuities and ignore what others are doing. Karma will get them in the end :)

 

 

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[cashmeremypuppydog]

Just pay your Gratuities and ignore what others are doing. Karma will get them in the end :)

 

 

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Good point!

[thinfool]

What your numbers do not seem to reveal....what percentage of the 20% do not tip at all?

 

That number would reveal how many are taking a free ride at the expense of everyone else as likely most of the 20% tip on their own rather than submit to the program in place.

 

HAL likely has an approximation of this number, but will not divulge it as they want auto-tip participation to be as close to 100% as possible.

[easyboy]

I still believe what the 80% are doing is right.

 

 

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[RuthC]

Just pay your Gratuities and ignore what others are doing. Karma will get them in the end :)

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ Yes, that. ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

[Boytjie]

Read all about it! Single thread for all discussions of HAL's HSC and tipping policies

[Krazy Kruizers]

We always leave the Hotel Service Charge in place. That way the extra tips that we give at the end of the cruise can be kept by those crew members and placed in a pool to be divided among everyone.

As Dave mentioned, once you sign the form to have the tips removed (and there is a place on the form where you give the reason why you are removing them), your name is passed onto the various supervisors who them pass on your name to the staff that works under them. Any tips that you personally give to a crew member must be turned in -- otherwise those crew members will be fired.

[RMLincoln]

Seems like the "80% - 20% rule" can be applied somehow in just about every situation in life.

It is not shocking that some people figure out a way to skate, steal, circumvent, bend the rules, find a loophole, game the system..... so that they can "get a better deal" but it's always at someone else's expense. No system is perfect, no system is iron clad, no system is unbeatable.

Don't be shocked, and please don't feel like you are the ones getting taken advantage of, that would suck you down to their level. Don't let the rotten apples spoil the whole bunch when you can choose to be grateful for being able enough to enjoy the wonderful benefits of cruising, and that includes meeting and sharing with many interesting and upbeat people.

Putting my soapbox away now.... m--

[cb at sea]

One does what's RIGHT...not what others do....just saying.

[Boytjie]

One does what's RIGHT...not what others do....just saying.

 

Not just that, someone may have cancelled the HSC but tipped more in cash than the HSC that the OP paid! ;)

 

 

(Yes, I know the cash goes into the pool too, but the OP is arguing about the total cost of the cruise.)

[grapau27]

Our cruises tend to be 7 nighters so the tips are not massive amounts and i always prepay or autopay plus give extra to deserving people.

I am sure when people stop their autotips some might well tip individually to who they want but IMO no where near the amount they would on autogratuities.

[cashmeremypuppydog]

Seems like the "80% - 20% rule" can be applied somehow in just about every situation in life.

It is not shocking that some people figure out a way to skate, steal, circumvent, bend the rules, find a loophole, game the system..... so that they can "get a better deal" but it's always at someone else's expense. No system is perfect, no system is iron clad, no system is unbeatable.

Don't be shocked, and please don't feel like you are the ones getting taken advantage of, that would suck you down to their level. Don't let the rotten apples spoil the whole bunch when you can choose to be grateful for being able enough to enjoy the wonderful benefits of cruising, and that includes meeting and sharing with many interesting and upbeat people.

Putting my soapbox away now.... m--

Thank you for your post. I know how fortunate I am to be able to cruise and I am always so grateful.

However, I was starting to think wrongly and I am happy you all helped me forget about this issue. Do the right thing and forget about everybody else.

 

HAL should definitely add the HSC in the fare just for the sake of their employees.

 

Thank you again!

The Canadians!:cool:

Edited May 30, 2017 by cashmeremypuppydog
mistakes

[RJ2002]

I am a little surprised that someone from Guest Services would acknowledge that 20% of passengers opt out of the HSC.

[cashmeremypuppydog]

I am a little surprised that someone from Guest Services would acknowledge that 20% of passengers opt out of the HSC.

 

What can I say? He did... maybe he was not too happy about how HAL is dealing with HSC. Maybe he is hoping more people will opt out so HAL needs to change their practice. That would make life much simpler for Guest Services and all cruisers.

The Canadians!:cool:

[Alberta Quilter]

You should have explained to the other passenger that giving money directly to a crew member does not work, as they MUST turn it into the "pool" or risk being fired. So the passenger accomplished nothing with his/her actions.

 

One of our tablemates on a cruise told me he had just had the HSC removed, and had gotten cash from the Front Desk so that he could pay his tips directly to the staff members. I advised him that this would not work and explained why. He went back to the Front Desk and confirmed that the cash would have to be turned into the "pool". He promptly reinstated his HSC (and returned the cash).

[cashmeremypuppydog]

One of our tablemates on a cruise told me he had just had the HSC removed, and had gotten cash from the Front Desk so that he could pay his tips directly to the staff members. I advised him that this would not work and explained why. He went back to the Front Desk and confirmed that the cash would have to be turned into the "pool". He promptly reinstated his HSC (and returned the cash).

 

Hello there,

Please read post #14. I really don't think someone who opt out of paying HSC, give the same amount to their selective employees. Just my humble opinion. But I will focus on myself and just do the right thing...

The Canadians!:cool:

[rafinmd]

So, why are the tipping policies on luxury cruise lines relevant to this discussion?

Will Holland become a "luxury" cruise line if we all stop tipping beyond the HSC?

 

They're probably relevant because people ask "If the luxury lines can do it, why can't HAL?"

 

The reason is that luxury lines don't really compete on price; if they did they would have very little business. If the mainstream lines started including gratuities in the fare they would be competing against other lines that did not and be placed in a competitive disadvantage. The only practical way to include gratuities for mainstream lines would be if there were regulations requiring it from all cruise lines; I would actually like that but do not expect it.

 

On HAL and other mainstream lines I normally leave the auto gratuity in place and give some extra tips to those who serve me directly. There have only been a few exceptions. One was one Zaandam cruise where I was unable to get fixed dining and had different servers every night. In that case in lieu of cash I went to the front desk and increased the HSC. The other exceptions were on Cunard where I had a lot of OBC and raised the daily charge instead of using cash.

 

I do not tip on luxury lines as I do not feel it appropriate. In lieu of tips I will make a contribution to the Crew Fund. That recognizes the contribution of all who make my cruise a great experience. Even there there are differences. I think Seabourn is the only luxury line where OBC cannot be turned over to the crew fund.

 

Roy

[bUU]

They're probably relevant because people ask "If the luxury lines can do it, why can't HAL?"

That is a novel way of thinking about it and makes a lot of sense. I stand corrected.

 

The reason is that luxury lines don't really compete on price; if they did they would have very little business. If the mainstream lines started including gratuities in the fare they would be competing against other lines that did not and be placed in a competitive disadvantage. The only practical way to include gratuities for mainstream lines would be if there were regulations requiring it from all cruise lines; I would actually like that but do not expect it.

Precisely correct on all counts.

[POA1]

They're probably relevant because people ask "If the luxury lines can do it, why can't HAL?"

 

The reason is that luxury lines don't really compete on price; if they did they would have very little business. If the mainstream lines started including gratuities in the fare they would be competing against other lines that did not and be placed in a competitive disadvantage. The only practical way to include gratuities for mainstream lines would be if there were regulations requiring it from all cruise lines; I would actually like that but do not expect it.

 

On HAL and other mainstream lines I normally leave the auto gratuity in place and give some extra tips to those who serve me directly. There have only been a few exceptions. One was one Zaandam cruise where I was unable to get fixed dining and had different servers every night. In that case in lieu of cash I went to the front desk and increased the HSC. The other exceptions were on Cunard where I had a lot of OBC and raised the daily charge instead of using cash.

 

I do not tip on luxury lines as I do not feel it appropriate. In lieu of tips I will make a contribution to the Crew Fund. That recognizes the contribution of all who make my cruise a great experience. Even there there are differences. I think Seabourn is the only luxury line where OBC cannot be turned over to the crew fund.

 

Roy

That makes too much, perfect sense Roy. ;)

[Alberta Quilter]

Hello there,

Please read post #14. I really don't think someone who opt out of paying HSC, give the same amount to their selective employees. Just my humble opinion. But I will focus on myself and just do the right thing...

The Canadians!:cool:

 

I was merely reporting what I encountered on my cruise and what I did to stop it, albeit with only one person. I'm sorry you interpreted my post differently.

[grapau27]

What can I say? He did... maybe he was not too happy about how HAL is dealing with HSC. Maybe he is hoping more people will opt out so HAL needs to change their practice. That would make life much simpler for Guest Services and all cruisers.

The Canadians!:cool:

I agree with you GS put on a brave smile but they must suspect why people opt out of prepaying gratuitys.

[grapau27]

Sorry for being so boring. Then, please, read other threads. This is new to me and interesting. Go back doing taxes!

You are right to post and tipping posts are always popular and well done for paying your autogratuities because the crew deserve them.

When you do 28 nights $700 is a lot of money but it is part of cruising and there will always be less generous people who will opt out near the end of the cruise with the excuse that they will tip who they want.

In the UK on other cruise sites the majority are anti tipping.

[grapau27]

There is already a thread with 1,025 posts on that very same subject regurgitating the same old crap and assumptions. There was no need to start a new thread.

Why not? there are new people posting all the time and they have a right to post.